Garden of Life – Raw Organic Protein
Garden of Life – Raw Protein
TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read) – Plant-based protein powders are a better choice generally since the majority of the population has gut sensitivities to milk-based products (Whey). Garden of Life Raw Protein – Unflavored is one of our favorite choices.
Long Version – With Bonus Infographic at the Bottom
So who doesn’t sell protein powders nowadays? Literally, every gym, grocery store, and gas station have some protein powder they are hawking.
There are overwhelming amounts of choices. How do you choose the best one for your needs? What makes this one different from that one? What do the differences in ingredients mean? Holy moly! I only understand one ingredient in the entire laundry list!
So you do some more research…and boy, that just increases the conflicting information. On one list, a product is recommended and on another list, it is not.
What. The. What.
So, let’s start the conversation by saying exactly what we said regarding protein bars:
- It’s always better to eat real, whole foods. There is no equivalent substitute.
- All protein supplements are meant as an occasional supplement but tend to be used as a healthy convenience food.
Let’s Demystify Proteins
Protein is in every cell in your body. Protein is used to make enzymes, hormones, and to perform other functions needed to create bones, muscle, cartilage, skin, & blood.
Unique fact – Your body does not store protein, it has no reserves.
So how much protein do you need?
The Dietary Reference Intake recommends .36 grams per pound to prevent deficiency.
- 56 Grams/day for average male
- 46 Grams/day for average female
Protein needs increase over the minimum when:
- When looking to lose weight or prevent weight gain (Christopher Mitchell who lost over 300 pounds can vouch):
- How does protein help with losing weight or preventing weight gain?
- Boosts metabolic rate and reduces appetite
- 25% to 30% of total calorie intake can be determined by multiplying calorie intake by .075 to determine optimal number of grams
- How does protein help with losing weight or preventing weight gain?
- When trying to gain Strength and Muscle:
- Protein helps to rebuild muscle and therefore strength
- 0.7 – 1 grams per pound of lean mass
- Protein helps to rebuild muscle and therefore strength
- When living an active lifestyle
- Active people need 0.5 – 0.65 grams per pound versus .36 grams per pound of body weight
- As you age
- Elderly people need 0.45 to 0.6 grams per pound versus .36 grams per pound of body weight
Good sources of natural protein include:
- Meats, fish, eggs, and dairy products. They have all the essential amino acids that your body needs.
- Some plants that are fairly high in protein such as quinoa, legumes, and nuts.
Why no Whey?
Whey is the protein supplement that the majority of protein powders on the market contain.
Advantages:
- Cheap
- Sold Everywhere
- It Works
Disadvantages
- Flatulence/Bloating/Worse
- Artifical Sweeteners
- Manufacturing Process Removes Nutrients and Adds Heavy Metals (Bad)
Plant Proteins are often overlooked
Advantages:
- Easily digestible
- Healthier
- Neutral Taste
Disadvantages
- Can Cost More
- Fewer Sweeteners
Of course, it can easily be said that these are more or less glaring generalities. And yes, there are always exceptions to the rules.
However, know that at least 33% of the population is lactose (whey) intolerant and at least 75% have a decrease in lactase activity (ie they get bloated, have gas, or other bowel issues).
Our preferences
If for only the gut reaction reasons listed above (which we personally experienced), we choose non-whey based protein powders.
One of our Favs is Garden of Life Raw Protein (Unflavored, Chocolate, Vanilla, Vanilla Chai)
How to use
This is the main ingredient in our smoothies. The unflavored is best if you want to keep the flavor of the fruits and veggies you use in your smoothie. The unflavored is pretty rare in the protein supplement world. The most common flavors are Chocolate & Vanilla.
We have 42 Smoothie Recipies HERE FREE for the taking…here are just two.
- Blueberry Pineapple Oatmeal Smoothie
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 banana
½ pineapple, chopped into chunks
10 ice cubes
½ cup almond milk
½ cup of rolled oats
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
½ cup of Greek yogurt
- GET OVER IT GREEN PROTEIN SHAKE
2 cups chopped fresh greens
1 mango, cut into chunks
1 cup unsweetened plain ricemilk
1 banana
1 tablespoon vanilla cinnamon
Why this product
Besides it being one of our favorites –
NutritionStripped.com had this to say –
- Taste: $$, a little “chalky” for my liking, but when mixed into my smoothies I couldn’t tell the difference! I really enjoyed the unique flavors especially the chocolate mocha. I should note, the “chalky” flavor comes from all of the great sprouted grains, nuts, and seeds).
- Quality: [organic sprouted blend: brown rice protein, amaranth, flax seed, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, garbanzo bean, pumpkin seed, lentil, adzuki bean, flax meal, sunflower seed, chia seed, sesame seed] An amazing array of sprouted nuts, seeds, and grains for the protein sources which is great.
- Nutrition: 28g of protein/scoop. Contains added herbal, vitamin/mineral, probiotic blends.
- Use: smoothies, mixed with water or almond milk to drink
- Cost: $$$ (Source Depending)
And Labdoor’s Product Testing Had the Following Rankings
- Protein/Serving 16.4g
- Passed Purity Test (Below 1 PPM of Heavy Metals)
- 95 out of 100 on Nutritional Value
- Value Rank of 9 or 81 (Including Whey Products)
- Quality Rank 11 of 81 (Including Whey Products)
Disclaimer, Like a galore of ’em
We are not doctors nor certified nutritionists. We do our research and find what works best for us. Also, the links are to Amazon and we might make a penny or few if you click-n-buy, so I guess you can say we have a vested interest…really we just have a huge interest in your health!
References:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-protein-per-day
http://www.artofwellbeing.com/2015/10/04/plant-based-protein-supplements/
http://www.statisticbrain.com/lactose-intolerance-statistics/
http://nutritionstripped.com/guide-plant-based-protein-supplements/
https://labdoor.com/rankings/protein
Garden of Life Flavors
Ingredients label
Bonus Infographic from ArtofWellBeing.com
Published: 9/2017